Rail-joint support.



G. H. WILLIAMS. RAIL JOINT SUPPORT. APPLIGATION FILED O0T.4, 1912.

1,084,989. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

f I '/f/HHi mi I fyi cnLuMBlA PLANDuRAr-M co., WASHINGTON, n. C.

GEORGE I-I. WILLIAMS, OF MOUNT CARMEL, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT SUPPORT.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

Application filed October 4, 1912. Serial No. 723,920.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Carmel, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joint Supports, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to rail joints, and rail supports, and residesin the construction, combination and operative arrangement of part-s set forth in the following description, and falling within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawing, Figure l is a perspective view illustrating my improvement. in applied position upon a pair of rails. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the fish plates. Fig'. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately upon the line 4-4 of F ig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numerals l designate co-acting rails. The rails are of the ordinary construction and have their webs, adjacent their ends provided with the usual openings for the reception of the bolts which secure the f ish plates to the rail ends. The connecting means, in the present instance, comprises angular plates 2 which have their vertical members provided with openings which register with the openings in the webs of the rails. The plates 2, at the joints of the rails are arranged upon the opposite faces of the said rails and are connected thereto through the medium of the usual bolts and nuts. Each of the plates 2 has its horizontal member provided, at its longitudinal edge, with down-turned portions 3 which are arranged adjacent the transverse ends of the said plates, and which are extended inwardly below and beyond the said horizontal members to provide flat straps 4. The downturned members 3 are slit as at 5, and the straps 4 are provided with spike receiving openings 6, which are arranged adjacent their free ends. The inner walls provided by the openings extend through the horizontal members of the fish plates a suitable distance beyond the longitudinal edges thereof, and whereby the spikes 7 passing through the said openings will contact with the longitudinal edges of the base flange of the rails.

It will be noted, by reference to Figs. l and 2, that the straps 4 of one of the plates 2 have their longitudinal edges arranged to contact with the longitudinal edges of the straps 4 of the oppositely arranged plate 2, so that the securing spikes 7 are disposed at an angle to each other, while suitable spikes 8 pass through the openings 6 and are secured to the ties a suitable distance away from the said longitudinal edges of the base flanges of the rails.

lVhen the device is employed to prevent the spreading of the rails, as illustrated in the drawing, the plate 2 is of a width equaling only the width of the straps 4. The flange members are disposed alternately upon the opposite faces of the rails, and spikes 9 are employed for securing the straps 4 to the ties. It will be noted that the spikes 9 engage with the opposite longitudinal edges of the portions 4 of the adjacent members 2, and the said spikes in addition to the spikes 7 which pass through the slots or openings of the members 2 have been found amply suflicient to retain the said members effectively upon the ties. It will be further noted that the straps 4 and 4 underlie the base flanges of the rail, and provide eective bearings for the said rails, which will prevent the rails sinking into the wooden ties, while at the same time all the resiliency of the said wooden ties is afforded the rails.

Having thus described the invention what I claim is In combination with the meeting ends of two rails and ties for supporting the rails, of two connecting members, one arranged upon each side of the rail and each comprising a vertical member adapted to be arranged upon the web between the heads and base flanges of the rails and an angular base adapted to overlie the base flanges of the rails, the said flanged portions of one of the members, at the ends thereof being downturned and provided with laterally projecting straps which are adapted to rest upon two of the ties and to receive the base flanges of the rails at a distance from their ends, the vertical portions being provided with spike openings, the ends of the straps being also provided with spike openings, spikes for these openings, the second member having its longitudinal edge at a distance from its ends bent downwardly and inwardly to provide laterally extending straps, the outer means for Connecting the vertical pla/ces to 10 edges of which being adapted to Contact the webs o the rails.

with the inner edges of the first mentioned In testimony whereof I ailix my signature straps, and to rest upon the said ties with in presence of two Witnesses.

the first mentioned straps, the said member at its juncture With the straps having spike GEORGE WILLIAMS' openings and the ends of the straps project- Vitnesses: ing beyond the rails being also provided With CHARLEY WILLIAMS, spike openings, spikes for the openings, and JAMES MAGRADY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

